The Miserables

Spanning a wide time frame (including the period of France from 1815 to 1832 and the brutally suppressed June uprising in Paris), the work is a historical drama that refers the reader to the relevant events of that time. Victor Hugo criticizes the policy of the Restoration era, which led to the poverty of the majority of the population. He imbues his characters with republican sentiments, making the novel revolutionary and anti-monarchical.
Among the "miserables" are Jean Valjean, sentenced to twenty years of hard labor for stealing bread for his starving family, little Cosette, transformed into a charming young girl, and the cheerful street urchin Gavroche. The confrontation between the criminal underworld of Paris and the police, the disputes of political parties and the battles on the barricades, monastic laws and the church system — a brilliant picture of French society at the beginning of the 19th century.
Victor Hugo used the biographies of real historical figures and events to create his characters and plot, which adds additional depth and realism to the book.
"The Miserables" by Victor Hugo is one of the longest novels in history. The writer spent more than 15 years writing "The Miserables". The novel consists of 5 volumes, with a colossal 365 chapters and 1400 pages (in the original French language — 1900 pages).